Car roof running board



March 2, l1937. G. E. KNEPPER Er Al.

I /CAR ROOF RUNNING BOARD Filed Deo. 17, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ifa/7771 I N VEN TORS:

Marfch 2, 1937. G. E. KNEPPR ET A1.

GAR ROOF RUNNING BOARD Filed Dec. 17, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENToRs; i'. irme Lam TOR/VE YS 'stemmi Mar. 2, 1937 sTATEs PATENT OFFICE CAB RDOF RUNNING BOARD George E. KneppAelr and William E. Frank,

na, Pa.

Application December 17, 1935, Serial No. 54,813

1 Claim.

ploying a plate fastened to the roof top so thatthe running board is less of an independent attachment and more an element of the car structure. The patents to Price et al., December 21, 1926, No. 1,611,555; and Schrader, April 8, 1919, No. 1,300,199, illustrate the type of running board which plays no part in the car construction but is a separate attachment. y

The object of our invention is to provide a running board for railway cars which will be woven into the car structure as a strength-giving element. Another object is the provision of combination running board and roof stringer strengthening the roof longitudinally. Another object is the provision of a combination running board roof stringer and top sheet which not only adds strength but adds to the water-tightness of the roof structure. Our invention has particular application to a car having a roof weakened by a number of openings therein as the hopper cement carl shown in the preferred embodiment of our invention. Still other objects and advantages of our invention will 'appear from the following detailed description ,of a preferred embodiment thereof, and from the accompanying drawings referred to in the description.

Of the drawings:

Fig. I shows a plan view of the preferred embodiment of our invention applied to a 'hopper cement car.

` Fig. 1I shows a partial side view of the saine.l

-` Fig. III shows a partial plan view of the running board before attachment indicating structural details.

Fig. IV is an end view taken about the line IV-IV of Fig. III.

Fig. V is a partial section taken about the linev V-V of Figs. I and III.

Fig. VI is a partial section taken about theline VI--VI of Fig. III.

Fig. VII is apartial section takeny about the line VII-V11 of Fig. III.

The railway car I having a roof `3 to which our invention has been applied/fn the preferred embcdiment is of the general type known as the (Cl. 10S-5) hopper cement car. The roof 3 of this car is considerably weakened by numerous lling hatches 2. The car roof structure toward which our invention is directed includes generally side roof sheets 4 having flanges 5, and a running 5 board 6 having flanges 'I and transverseextensions I0 at each end of the car I. The running board 6 is formed with a tread surface as shown in the drawings to provide a rm foothold for the trainrnen.

The side roof sheets 4 terminate short of the center line of the car I and the flanges 5 formed along their inner edges are designed to receive the superimposed running board 6. The running board anges 1 fit closely outside of the roof 15 sheet flanges 5 with surface contact. The running board 6, which is made up of three sections II is welded to the roof sheets 4 along the bottom edges of the flanges 1, making a secure joint with vertical surface contact between the 20 pieces joined. The three sections II are also welded as shown in Fig. VII, a juncture plate I2 being welded to the underside of the joint. This 4juncture plate I2 is carefully designed to fit the underside of the running board 1 and abut 25 against the roof sheet flanges 5, making a strongly braced joint. The transverse extensions I0 are extra heavy roof sheets formed with the tread surface shown in the drawings, and funcl tion both as -roof sheets 4 and as running board 30 extensions I0.

From the above description it is clear that our invention simplifies car roof structure and adds strength to it by incorporating the running board 6 into the structure as a structural' ele- 35 ment. The special form of the running board 6 provides a longitudinal stringer for the roof 3 which gives strength to a roof 3 weakened by filling hatches 2. There is no chance of rust between the car roof and the running board which is a drawback in the case of the separate and attached running board. The joint between the roof sheets 4 and the running board 6 contributes considerably to the water-tight integrity of the roof structure. This joint is characterized by a contact of vertical surfaces with welding at the bottom edge of the joint which reduces the chances of moisture and rust in the joint.

While our invention has been described in some detail with reference to a specific embodiment, various changes in the form of the structure used are within the contemplation of the invention, and such changes should not be deemed to constitute a departure from the spirit of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

' Having-thus described our invention, we ciaim:

A car root structure comprising side root' timately united to the underside of the runningv board at section joints, said juncture plates bracing the upwardly turned edges of said roof sheets against the downwardly turned edges of the running board.

GEORGE E. KNEPPER. WILLIAM E. FRANK. 

